Here's my calculator: https://www.dropbox.com/s/u7irczu3hwn902f/exposure.xlsx?dl=0
And it's based on this guy's who's file I couldn't get to work but you might: https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/threads/actual-exposure-to-chemicals-of-concern-diacetyl-acetoin-acetyl-propionyl-etc.573397/
Here's the gist of the calculation breakdown:
A: What percent of "Chemical X" does your flavor contain? B: What percent of the flavor does your juice contain?
C: Multiply A times B, then divide by 100. This is the percentage of "Chemical X" in your juice. D: Divide C by 10,000. This is the ppm of "Chemical X" in your juice. E: Divide D by 1000. This is the ppb of "Chemical X" in your juice.
Now, to calculate the exposure level:
F: What is the average volume in mL that you inhale during a puff? (Per Wikipedia, typical tidal volume for an adult human is 500 mL. I like to go with 250. You can measure this with tubing [straws work well], a bucket of water, and a graduated measuring container if you're curious about your own numbers. Submerge the measuring container completely into the bucket of water, turn it upside down, and stick one end of the tubing underneath it. Inhale as you normally do while vaping, then exhale normally into the tubing. Pull up the measuring container high enough that you can read it, but leave the rim submerged so the water doesn't escape, and see how much water was displaced by the air. This is the volume you inhale while vaping.) G: How many puffs does it take to go through 1 mL of juice? (I default to 100 as best guess, but I understand many people vape much more heavily or lightly.) H: Multiply F times G. This is how much you're diluting your juice with air while inhaling.
I: Divide C by H. This is the percentage of "Chemical X" you're being exposed to while inhaling. J: Divide D by H. This is the ppm of "Chemical X" you're being exposed to while inhaling. K: Divide E by H. This is the ppb of "Chemical X" you're being exposed to while inhaling.
I'm just having difficulty relating it to reality and what the safe exposures are (for example acetoin). And also need help figuring out if my calculations are on point. Specifically the 'total vapor consumed per 1ml' which is based on:
> H: Multiply F times G. This is how much you're diluting your juice with air while inhaling.
If we can nail this, we can really empower people to know what exactly they're vaping and balance out the risk. Not only that but we'd have ACTUAL numbers to show people which would illustrate how different the numbers are between vaping and smoking.
I'd be interested to know what typical creamy/bakery flavorings come out as compared to safe levels (is it breaching the safety threshold or way short of it?) and then how it would compare to a cigarette (e.g. 1 puff of a cig = approximately x mls of Caps VC @ 10% concentration).
This is incredibly ambitious and if you're doing it because it's fun and interesting, I wish you the best of luck on your endeavour.
But it's a wasted effort if you think vaping can be completely harmless if you just figure out some arbitrary "safe levels of exposure". The only thing that is safe to inhale is clean air.
it's about calculating the risk rather than throwing darts. Something we can do in day to day life. It's like saying the safest form of transport is to just stay at home.
I see where you're coming from and I've seen this argued many times before. If only it was that easy. You will never be given access to the exact numbers unless you're willing to pay a lab. It would be a huge effort just to figure out the exact levels you're inhaling, and even then it's guesswork at best as to how it will impact your body. People vape at different temperatures, certain compounds may be benign on their own while detrimental when combined, some chemicals will deposit in your lungs and build up over time. But the biggest problem is the lack of research. The safe levels you're looking at is most likely not even closely related to vaping, but rather inhalation of particles in the air that you breathe. Being bound to solvents like PG, these compounds will behave very differently. And attempting to compare the harmfulness of combusted tobacco smoke to artificially flavored aerosolized alcohols just by stating how many ppb of this and that are inhaled won't convince anyone.
I'm not trying to discourage you, I just want you to be realistic about what you're hoping to achieve. We have a fair idea of what things are bad to vape, simply steer clear of them if you want to avoid the obvious, although often debatable risks. But vaping will never be safe. It's just the lesser of two evils for smokers.
No, I guess that makes sense. I hadn't fully considered all the massive variables, which are quite obvious now that you point them out. I fear the only real way we'll know about long term effects is when/if the first casualties come about. We used to laugh at smokers and how the in the first wave of popular smoking everyone was so naive. And now we're in that first wave. I suppose all we can do is compare it to smoking, and that's the only variable that counts. But it would be great to even get something approximate for those who have come straight from nothing to vaping.
I like this, keep it up!
We're working on a project right now that will take safety into consideration for each individual concentrate.
awesome, I hope I don't miss your findings. It would be great to JUST get a ballpark if poss. Will likely take way more science that most of us could throw at it. Needs experts.
We're working on a flavor wiki to keep track of all the miscellaneous data/information in the DIY_eJuice community.
We're currently implementing Concentrates/Flavors/Reviews right now. But Volatiles, MSDS documents, Bases, are on the list. Always looking for help!
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